1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus and an information record medium for recording a navigation program that can be read by a computer, and more particularly relates to a navigation apparatus for guiding routes where a movable body such as a vehicle travels while displaying a map or a drawing based on it and an information recording medium containing a navigation program readable by a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a car navigation apparatus has been generalized for displaying a map on a display, such as a liquid crystal display panel or the like, mounted in a car and then guiding routes where a vehicle travels.
In the conventional car navigation apparatus, a map including outdoor roads, well-know landmarks and the like is usually displayed on the display.
Thus, the above-mentioned guide is not displayed at all, for example, during travelling in an underground parking zone or an multistory parking zone on a ground.
However, the size of the underground parking zone or the overpass parking zone has been increased more and more, in recent years. During travelling such a wide parking zone, for example, there are the problems that a position of an exit is not clear and that a position of a passage to move to another story is not clear.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a navigation apparatus that even in a building in which a car may run, can carry out a guide corresponding to an inner structure of the building, and an information recording medium containing a navigation program readable by a computer.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a navigation apparatus of the present invention. The navigation apparatus is provided with: a current position determining device for determining whether or not a current position of a movable body is located in a building; a displaying device for displaying building information in relation to the building if the current position is located in the building; and a processing device for carrying out a navigation process by using the displayed building information.
According to the present invention, a navigation process is carried out under the display of the building information. Thus, in a case where the movable body is moving in the building, a guide for the movable body can be properly carried out.
In one aspect of the present invention, the building information is provided for each story of the building. The current position determining device has a story determining device for determining which story the current position belongs to. Then, the displaying device displays the building information corresponding to the story to which the current position belongs.
According to this aspect, even in a case where the movable body is moving to any story in the building, the guide for the movable body can be carried out.
In another aspect of the present invention, the story determining device is further provided with: an upward/downward movement determining device for determining whether the movable body is moving in a ascending direction or a descending direction; and a distance detecting device for detecting a movement distance. The story determining device determines the story to which the current position belongs, in accordance with the movement distance detected by the distance detecting device and a movement state detected by the upward/downward movement determining device.
According to this aspect, a story currently being located is determined in accordance with an upwardly or downwardly moving state and a movement distance. Thus, the story can be determined accurately and quickly.
In another aspect of the present invention, the building information is a drawing indicating the inside of the building corresponding to the building information.
According to this aspect, the navigation process is done under the display of the drawing. Thus, the guide in the building can be done further accurately.
In another aspect of the present invention, the displaying device displays the current position on the drawing.
According to this aspect, the information is also displayed together with the current position. Thus, the guide can be done at an easily recognizable state.
In another aspect of the present invention, when a movement of the movable body is stopped, the stop position is guided.
According to this aspect, when the movement is stopped, the guide is done until its stop position. Thus, the guide can be done further accurately.
In another aspect of the present invention, facility information in the building is guided.
According to this aspect, the information is also displayed together with the facility information. Thus, the guide can be done at an easily recognizable state.
In another aspect of the present invention, the displaying device displays a map if it is determined that the current position is not located in the building, and the processing device uses the displayed map to carry out the navigation process.
According to this aspect, even if the movable body moves from an inside of the building to an outside of the building, the navigation process can be continued by using the map.
In another aspect of the present invention, the building is a parking zone. The navigation apparatus is further provided with: a time detecting device for detecting an entry time when the movable body enters the parking zone; a memory for storing a fee per unit time in the parking zone; a parking time calculating device for calculating a parking time in the parking zone in accordance with the time the movable body goes out from the parking zone and the entry time when the movable body goes out from the parking zone; a parking fee calculating device for calculating a parking fee in accordance with the calculated parking time and the fee per unit time in the parking zone; and a reporting device for reporting the calculated parking fee.
According to this aspect, a usage fee of the parking zone can be recognized in advance. Thus, the convenience as the navigation apparatus can be further improved.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information recording medium of the present invention. In the information recording medium, a navigation program is readably recorded by a computer included in a navigation apparatus. The navigation program causes the computer to function as navigation processing devices which is provided with: a current position determining device for determining whether or not a current position of a movable body is located in a building; a displaying device for displaying building information in relation to the building if the current position is located in the building; and a processing device for carrying out a navigation process by using the displayed building information.
According to the present invention, the computer can function so as to carry out the navigation process under the display of the building information. Thus, in a case where the movable body is moving in the building, the guide can be properly done.
In one aspect of the present invention, the building information is stored the information recording medium as drawing data indicating the inside of each story in the building. The navigation program causes the computer to function as navigation processing devices which is further provided with: an extracting device for extracting the drawing data from the information recording medium; a displaying device for displaying a drawing indicating the inside of each story in the building corresponding to the drawing data; and a processing device for carrying out a navigation process by using the displayed inner drawing.
According to this aspect, the computer can function so as to execute the navigation process under the display of the drawing. Thus, in a case where the movable body is moving in the building, the guide can be done.
In another aspect of the present invention, the drawing data at least includes: a slant data for use of determining whether or not the movable body is moving in a portion between stories; and a story number data indicative of the number of a story to which the drawing data corresponds. The navigation program causes the computer to function as navigation processing devices which is further provided with a processing device for carrying out a navigation process by using the slant data and the story number data.
According to this aspect, a slant data and a story number data are used to execute the navigation process. Thus, the guide can be carried out further accurately.
In another aspect of the present invention, the drawing data includes information with regard to a facility located in a story to which the drawing data corresponds, indicated as at least one of a picture and a character. The navigation program causes the computer to function as navigation processing devices which is further provided with a displaying device for displaying the information with regard to the facility by using at least one of a picture and a character.
According to this aspect, the guide in the building is executed while the information with regard to the facility is displayed by using the picture or character. Thus, the guide can be carried out further intelligibly.
In another aspect of the present invention, the building is a parking zone. Further, navigation processing data is stored in the information recording medium the data is provided with: an exit data for indicating a position of an exit in the parking zone; an entrance data for indicating a position of an entrancet in the parking zone; and a fee data for indicating a fee per unit time in the parking zone. The navigation program causes the computer to function as navigation processing devices which is further provided with: a parking time calculating device for calculating parking time in the parking zone by using the entrance data and exit data; a, fee calculating device for calculating a usage fee in the parking zone by using the calculated parking time and the fee data; and a reporting device for reporting the fee data.
According to this aspect, a usage fee of the parking zone can be recognized in advance. Thus, the convenience as the navigation apparatus can be further improved.